Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S 2016 review ~ station of gear

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6 Jun, 2016 4:00pm Steve Sutcliffe

Mind-bendingly fast Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S is also more refined than expected

The Volkswagen Golf GTi is 40 years old this year, and it’s come an awful long way since it was unleashed upon an unsuspecting world in 1976. And this thundering new 306bhp, £35,000, two-seat-only Clubsport GTi S model is very much the pinnacle of its achievements thus far, dynamically as well as philosophically.

So much so that it has just broken the outright lap record for a front wheel-drive road car around the legendary Nurburgring with an outrageous time of 7min 49.21sec. A decade ago times such as this were the preserve of high-powered sports cars and/or supercars only, but now the humble Golf GTi has managed it thanks to a raft of modifications above and beneath its more aerodynamic new skin.

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These include the complete removal of the rear seats to help reduce the kerb weight to a mere 1,360kg, a slight increase in power and torque for the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine to 306bhp and 380Nm, plus a raft of changes to both the hard and software of the suspension.

The brakes have also been uprated to improve cooling while the anti-lock system has been retuned so that it doesn't intrude so keenly at high speeds, or at high braking efforts. Likewise, the ESC and TC systems have both been recalibrated to be “more liberal” in their interaction, and ultimately to provide better turn in at speed. There’s even a new “Nurburgring” setting within the electronic chassis control menu, designed specifically to enable the car to deal with the uniquely bumpy track conditions at the ‘ring.

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Last but by no means least, VW has also fitted the car with a set of super sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, mounted on unique “Pretoria” 19in alloy wheels, which, claim the car’s engineers, help reduce the all important unsprung weight by 1kg at each corner compared with the regular GTi Clubsport. Together, these mods provide the Clubsport S with a level of mechanical grip well beyond any previous GTi, including the regular Clubsport version, hence the scarcely believable sub 7min 50sec lap time.

We drove the car – guess where – at the Nurburgring, and to be honest it was quite some eye opener, partly for reasons you’d expect but also for reasons you might not.

It is mind-bendingly rapid for a front wheel drive car, no mistake, and you’d expect nothing less from something that’s this light, has this much power, and which wears a set of liquorice sticky track day tyres. The fact that it uses the Golf GTi’s optional (and excellent) electrically operated hydraulic differential to help deploy its power neatly and consistently to the road is also a key factor in terms of the pure pace it endows the Clubsport S with.

The surprising aspect is how relatively civilised and, well, normal the Clubsport S feels as it rockets between one corner and the next, riding the kerbs of the Nurburgring much like a smooth, regular riding Golf GTi. The steering definitely feels more alert, the turn in response being frankly awesome with some throttle applied to get the differential working to max effect.

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But what the Clubsport S categorically does not feel like is a noisy, harsh riding, thinly veiled racing car on the move, and if any circuit is going to unearth such ride issues, the Nurburgring is it. And that puts the Clubsport S in a subtly different category from previous rivals such as the Renault R26R, not to mention the latest Honda Civic Type R when it comes to usability and refinement.

It feels significantly more comfortable than the Civic for ride quality (not difficult, it must be said) and although it makes a suitably nice noise thanks to its bigger-than-standard new exhaust system, it’s not intrusively noisy. It sounds like a Golf GTi with the volume turned up a fair bit.

And to most intents and purposes that how the Clubsport drives, full stop; like a regular Golf GTi with the wick turned up to 11, with a subsequent ability to cover ground that will make most full blown sports car drivers think twice before seeking a dust up.

In a way it’s a shame you can’t specify the Clubsport with the full five seat layout – because the lack of rear seats does compromise it hugely as an everyday car. But then it wouldn't be exclusive enough so configured, says VW, and besides, it would weigh too much as well.

Either way, the 150 right hand drive Clubsport S models that are destined to hit the UK market in October/November will be very special cars when they arrive. VW’s dealers already claim there is very strong interest in the car, which is more than can be said of previous rear-seats-out road racer hot hatchbacks. We’ve a hunch that, this time, the formula will work, and that demand will well and truly outstrip supply.

Massively fast but also a lot more refined than we expected, the Golf Clubsport S is a rare but surprisingly well rounded and civilised new megahatch. It’s expensive, yes, and only 150 will be built in right hand drive. But for the lucky few there will be nothing else quite like it. We love it mostly, even if it is only available with just two seats.

Model: Volkswagen Golf GTi Clubsport S
Price: £35,000 (est)
Engine: 2.0-litre 4 cyls, turbocharged, petrol
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front wheel drive
Power/torque: 306bhp/380Nm

0-62mph: 5.8 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Economy/CO2: 38.1mpg/172g/km
On sale: October

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